Is ArchiCAD or Prospect better?

Neither clearly leads. ArchiCAD starts at $177/month and Prospect at $225/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, ArchiCAD or Prospect?

ArchiCAD starts at $177/month and Prospect at $225/month.

Does ArchiCAD or Prospect run on more platforms?

ArchiCAD runs on Windows, macOS. Prospect runs on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).

What is ArchiCAD best used for?

ArchiCAD is most often used for architectural design with bim capabilities, real-time team collaboration via bimcloud, automated documentation generation from design changes, mixed windows and macos team environments. Of those, architectural design with bim capabilities and real-time team collaboration via bimcloud are not what Prospect is typically brought in for.

What can ArchiCAD do that Prospect cannot?

ArchiCAD covers BIM modeling, Design tools, Documentation, Rendering. Prospect covers BIM visualization, Real-scale viewing, Collaboration, Annotations.

Construction · head to head

ArchiCAD vs Prospect

ArchiCAD

Construction

BIM software for architects

From: $177/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

Prospect

Proposals

VR for architectural visualization

From: $225/month
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Each has a real cost: ArchiCAD available on Windows and macOS only, no native Linux support; Prospect no longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
They diverge on capability: ArchiCAD covers BIM modeling, Prospect covers BIM visualization.
Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ArchiCAD and Prospect actually diverge.

Attributes where ArchiCAD and Prospect differ
Attribute	ArchiCAD	Prospect
Starting price	$177/month	$225/month
Pricing model	subscription	Unknown
Platforms	Windows, macOS	VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest)
Category	Construction	Proposals
Founded	1982	2014

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ArchiCAD

BIM modeling
Design tools
Documentation
Rendering
Energy analysis
IFC support
Teamwork collaboration
Library parts

Only in Prospect

BIM visualization
Real-scale viewing
Collaboration
Annotations
Revit
SketchUp
Rhino
Navisworks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ArchiCAD

Architectural design with BIM capabilitiesnot Prospect
Real-time team collaboration via BIMcloudnot Prospect
Automated documentation generation from design changesnot Prospect
Mixed Windows and macOS team environmentsnot Prospect

Prospect

VR Gamingnot ArchiCAD
AR Marketingnot ArchiCAD
Virtual Trainingnot ArchiCAD
3D Visualizationnot ArchiCAD
Immersive Experiencesnot ArchiCAD

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ArchiCAD

Available on Windows and macOS only, no native Linux support
Subscription-only licensing model with no perpetual licence option
Studio tier does not include MEP Designer - requires Collaborate tier at $208/month

Prospect

No longer available as a standalone product; has been discontinued and replaced by other solutions
Acquisition by The Wild in 2021 resulted in product discontinuation and transition to Workshop XR
No ongoing development, bug fixes, or feature updates since acquisition

Pricing, plan by plan

ArchiCAD

$177/month

Archicad Studio$177/month
- Archicad Windows & macOS
- BIMx Pro
- BIMcloud Basic
Archicad Collaborate$208/month
- Archicad Windows & macOS
- MEP Designer
- BIMx Pro

Prospect

$225/month

Team$350/month
- Multiuser VR collaboration
- Design review tools
- Voice communication

Which should you pick?

Choose ArchiCAD if

You need bim modeling.
You work on Windows, macOS.
You also want design tools.

ArchiCAD review

Choose Prospect if

You need bim visualization.
You work on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
You also want real-scale viewing.

Prospect review

Questions people ask

Is ArchiCAD or Prospect better?: Neither clearly leads. ArchiCAD starts at $177/month and Prospect at $225/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ArchiCAD or Prospect?: ArchiCAD starts at $177/month and Prospect at $225/month.
Does ArchiCAD or Prospect run on more platforms?: ArchiCAD runs on Windows, macOS. Prospect runs on VR Headsets (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest).
What is ArchiCAD best used for?: ArchiCAD is most often used for architectural design with bim capabilities, real-time team collaboration via bimcloud, automated documentation generation from design changes, mixed windows and macos team environments. Of those, architectural design with bim capabilities and real-time team collaboration via bimcloud are not what Prospect is typically brought in for.
What can ArchiCAD do that Prospect cannot?: ArchiCAD covers BIM modeling, Design tools, Documentation, Rendering. Prospect covers BIM visualization, Real-scale viewing, Collaboration, Annotations.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ArchiCAD: What is the cost of Archicad's subscription plans?

Archicad Studio starts at $177/month or $2,123 upfront annually. Archicad Collaborate, the most popular tier, is $208/month or $2,497 upfront annually. Both include local and cloud teamworking capabilities.

Source

Prospect: What is Prospect by IrisVR?

Prospect was an immersive VR application that converted 3D design files from Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Navisworks into virtual reality walkthroughs with one click. It enabled AEC teams to conduct design reviews, collaborate in VR, and present projects to clients immersively.

Source

ArchiCAD: What is the difference between Archicad Studio and Archicad Collaborate?

Studio includes architectural modeling and BIMcloud Basic for local teamwork. Collaborate adds MEP Designer for MEP modeling and BIMcloud SaaS for cloud-based global teamwork, and costs $31 more per month.

Source

Prospect: Is Prospect still available?

No. Prospect by IrisVR was acquired by The Wild in February 2021 and has been discontinued. Autodesk Workshop XR is now the recommended successor for AEC teams migrating from Prospect.

Source

ArchiCAD: Is Archicad free for students?

Yes, Archicad offers free educational licenses for students, educators, and academic institutions. Archicad Studio is available free for 30 days as a trial.

Source

Prospect: How was Prospect priced?

Prospect's Team plan cost approximately $350 per workstation per month when billed annually. Earlier pricing information from 2020 showed starting prices around $225. Custom enterprise pricing was available.

Source

Prospect: What VR headsets did Prospect support?

Prospect was compatible with major VR headsets including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and later Meta Quest. Support depended on the runtime and connection method available.

Source

Prospect: What was Prospect's biggest advantage?

Prospect's one-click conversion from native design files (Revit, Rhino, SketchUp) into immersive VR experiences was its primary value proposition, enabling non-VR specialists to easily create compelling design reviews and client presentations.

Source

ArchiCAD vs Prospect

ArchiCAD

Prospect

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in ArchiCAD

Only in Prospect

What people use each for

ArchiCAD

Prospect

Where each one falls short

ArchiCAD

Prospect

Pricing, plan by plan

ArchiCAD

Prospect

Which should you pick?

Choose ArchiCAD if

Choose Prospect if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on ArchiCAD

More on Prospect

Keep looking

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